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Let me begin by passing on apologies from the World Health Organization’s Representative in Viet Nam, Dr Angela Pratt, and the Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Viet Nam, Dr Vinod Ahuja, who regret that they are unable to attend today.
It is an honour to join you for this important event.
This year’s World Rabies Day theme, “Stronger Together,” could not be more fitting.
Rabies affects people, but it originates primarily in animals. Protecting human and animal health are mutually reinforcing goals. Rabies can only be eliminated through coordinated action across human health, animal health, education, local authorities and communities. This is One Health in its most practical form.
Today’s inter‑sectoral drill will be a powerful demonstration of "Stronger Together” in action.
Viet Nam has long recognised the urgency of rabies control. The National Programme for the Prevention and Control of Rabies 2022–2030 sets a clear and ambitious goal: zero human deaths from dog‑mediated rabies by 2030. This aligns fully with the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy (2014) and the Global Strategic Plan “Zero by 2030”, jointly adopted by WHO, FAO, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control.
Sadly, rabies continues to claim lives. Over the past decade, Viet Nam has reported around 70 human deaths every year.
Cases occur across all four regions, but the Central Highlands carries a disproportionate burden relative to its population.
Behind every death is a grieving family, often mourning a child, as children are disproportionately affected by dog bites.
Recent surveys in Binh Thuan and Ben Tre highlight the root causes clearly. Challenges include inadequate resources, dog management and vaccination; limited community awareness; out‑of‑pocket expenditure for dog vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis; difficulties accessing veterinary services; and inadequate enforcement of existing laws.
These challenges are not unique to Viet Nam, but they are solvable.
The good news is that rabies is entirely preventable. We already have the tools to stop these deaths, and with full implementation of the National Programme, Viet Nam could end human rabies deaths from dogs within the next seven to nine years.
Rabies elimination starts with preventing transmission in animals. Global experience shows that sustained dog vaccination is the single most effective intervention. This is why WHO and FAO continue to advocate for greater investment in dog vaccination, responsible dog ownership and animal health services.
Eliminating rabies is also cost-effective. As well as saving the lives of children and adults, elimination would also protect livestock and rural livelihoods. Studies in Viet Nam estimate that rabies-related livestock losses exceeded 10 million US dollars or 260 billion Vietnamese dong over a ten-year period, highlighting the economic benefits of investing in rabies prevention.
In the early 2000s, a nationwide dog vaccination campaign in Viet Nam reduced human deaths to 34 in 2003, a remarkable milestone. We need to regain and sustain that momentum.
WHO and FAO remain committed to working under the leadership of the Government, to achieve elimination. In recent years, for example, WHO and FAO have collaborated on:
- Risk communication and community engagement;
- Technical and financial support for surveys in Binh Thuan and Ben Tre; and
- Donation of thousands of doses of rabies vaccine to the hardest-hit communities.
We welcome the mid-term evaluation of the National Programme that is planned for early 2027. Its findings will help to redirect our collective efforts. The most critical elements are
- Nationwide dog vaccination;
- Ensuring equitable access to PEP – because no family should face financial hardship to save a life; and
- Strengthening One Health coordination at every level. Success requires united action – from national ministries to village leaders.
Let us honour this World Rabies Day by reaffirming our shared determination to protect every community, every family and every child, as part of a healthier, safer Viet Nam.
Xin cảm ơn!